Imagine that you wanted to be a movie maker. But your parents wanted you to grow up to be a doctor or engineer. You pursue engineering and become really good at what you do. How good? Good enough to end up leading all digital efforts at one of the most innovative airlines in the world. And start up a venture capital fund! That’s Eash Sundaram of JetBlue for you in a gist.

Eash Sundaram leads all digital and innovation efforts at JetBlue and most recently helped start JetBlue Technology Ventures.I first met Eash a couple of years ago when we were both speaking at the SITA IT Summit in Belgium. I enjoyed our chats there and couldn’t wait to have a deeper conversation with him.

I finally had the privilege of interviewing him on the SimpliFlying Live Show this week. JetBlue made a splash in the technology world last year by announcing the creation of a venture fund which would invest in early stage startups anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million. We dive deep into how this has worked out till date for JetBlue.

If you lead digital, eCommerce, mobile or innovation efforts in the travel industry, this interview is a must watch. If you’re looking to grow in your career, Eash’s advice regarding leadership and mentors is priceless.

Some questions I ask:

What’s the story behind JetBlue Technology Ventures? [3:15]

How was the team put together? [4:00]

Why is JetBlue Technology Ventures not near the airline’s HQ in NY? [6:10]

What are the metrics for success at JetBlue Technology Ventures? [16:23]

What’s been the role of mentors in your career? [15:20]

The Rapid Fire Round – where Eash tells me the first answer that comes to his mind [17:45]

In this episode you will learn:

My first JetBlue experience (which didn’t involve a flight!) [00:50]

How JetBlue inspires humanity? [1:15]

How JetBlue harnesses ideas from outside the airline? [2:20]

The unique journey of Bonnie Simi, the President of JetBlue Technology Ventures [5:20]

Shashank Nigam

Shashank Nigam is the CEO of SimpliFlying and a globally sought-after consultant, speaker and thought-leader on airline branding and customer engagement strategy. He is also the youngest winner of the Global Brand Leadership Award and has addressed senior aviation executives globally, from Chile to Canada and from Sydney to San Francisco.Shashank's perspectives have found their way into major media outlets, including CNN Travel, CNBC, MSNBC, Bloomberg UTV, Mashable and in leading publications like Airline Business, ATW, Aviation Week, and others.Shashank studied Information Systems Management and Business Management at Singapore Management University and Carnegie Mellon University. Hailing from India, he splits his time between Singapore and Vancouver, among other cities.